CHICAGO – (August 13, 2024) – The 40th annual collegiate Butkus Award® selection process to identify the nation’s best linebacker began today with the release of the preseason watch list.
The 51 linebackers on the watch list are a nod to the famous “51” professional jersey won by the award’s namesake, the late Dick Butkus, whose dogged leadership from the middle linebacker position earned him acclaim from NFL Films as the greatest defensive player in football history.
Butkus Award nominees represent 44 colleges and universities from across the country. The list includes two returning 2023 semifinalists: Alabama’s Deontae Lawson and Iowa’s Jay Higgins. The nominee list by conference includes: Big Ten (16), SEC (12), ACC (7) and Big 12 (7), plus nominees from four other conferences and one independent program. Seven schools are represented by teammates, including Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, South Carolina and Utah.
The award’s semifinalists are expected to be announced on November 4, the finalists on November 25 and the winner by December 10. A spot on the watch list is not a requirement to win the award. The 2024 Butkus Award winners at the high school, college and professional levels will be honored at an event scheduled for early 2025 at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium as part of the Big Ten Network’s television special.
The 51-member Butkus Award selection committee, comprised of coaches, scouts and journalists, guides the selection process, emphasizing the qualities that defined Dick Butkus’ career: toughness, leadership on the field, competitiveness, football character and linebacker skills. The award is increasingly focused on recognizing linebackers who consistently play without the ball while standing in a traditional two-point stance.
The selection committee congratulates Patrick Willis, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 3, 2024. Willis won the collegiate Butkus Award in 2006 and the professional Butkus Award in 2009 and supports the charitable causes of the Butkus Foundation.
Last season’s college winner was Payton Wilson of North Carolina State (now Pittsburgh Steelers), the high school winner was Sammy Brown of Jefferson, Georgia (now Clemson), and the pro winner was Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens, who also won the pro award in 2022 and the college award in 2017.
When he was given control of the Butkus Award in 2008, Mr. Butkus said, “When an outstanding player receives the Butkus Award, he will know two things: First, he will be recognized as the best of the best linebackers in the country. Second, and most important in the long run, he will understand that with that recognition comes a responsibility to give back.”
About the Butkus Award: Established in 1985, the Butkus Award honors linebackers on three levels while supporting causes important to the Butkus family. Causes include the Butkus Takes Heart™ initiative, which encourages early cardiovascular screenings for adults, and the I Play Clean® initiative, which encourages athletes to train naturally without performance-enhancing drugs. A 51-member expert panel of coaches, scouts and journalists guides the selection process. The Butkus Foundation has presented the high school and professional awards since 2008. This is the 40th year the college award has been presented.
BUTKUS AWARD 2024 – COLLEGIATE WATCH LIST
- Jihad Campbell – Alabama
- Sean Brown – North Carolina State
- Deontae Lawson* – Alabama
- Xander Mueller – Northwestern
- Jacob Manu – Arizona
- Jack Kiser – Notre Dame
- Eugene Asante – Auburn
- CJ Hicks – Ohio State
- Andrew Simpson – Boise State
- Sonny Styles – Ohio State
- Jack Kelly – BYU
- Danny Stutsman – Oklahoma
- Barrett Carter – Clemson
- Nick Martin – Oklahoma State
- Shemar James – Florida
- Collin Oliver-Oklahoma State
- Smael Mondon Jr. – Georgia
- Jason Henderson-Old Dominion
- Dylan Rosiek – Illinois
- Jeffrey Bassa – Oregon
- Aiden Fisher – Indiana
- Kobe King – Penn State
- Jay Higgins* – Iowa
- Mohamed Toure – Rutgers
- Nick Jackson – Iowa
- Demetrius Knight Jr. – South Carolina
- Jacob Dobbs-James Madison
- Debo Williams – South Carolina
- Jamon Dumas-Johnson – Kentucky
- Easton Mascarenas-Arnold – USC
- D’Eryk Jackson – Kentucky
- Gaethan Bernadel – Stanford
- Harold Perkins – LSU
- Marlowe Wax – Syracuse
- Ruben Hyppolite II – Maryland
- Anthony Hill Jr. – Texas
- Martin Chandler – Memphis
- Namdi Obiazor – TCU
- Francisco Mauigoa – Miami-Florida
- Oluwafemi Oladejo – UCLA
- Matt Salopek – Miami-Ohio
- Lander Barton – Utah
- Jaishawn Barham – Michigan
- Karene Reid – Utah
- Cody Lindenberg – Minnesota
- Sam Brumfield – Virginia Tech
- Colin Ramos – Navy
- Carson Bruener – Washington
- Jackson Woodard – UNLV
- Shae Suiaunoa – Wyoming
- Power Echols – North Carolina
